WBAL's Robert Lang talks to one of the teens participating in YouthWorks, who has a job this summer at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Download This File

Governor Martin O'Malley and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced funding that would support summer jobs for more than 5,000 Baltimore youth Wednesday.

Both visited the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) to announce a combined $2.8 million in investments to create over 2,300 summer jobs for local youth through Baltimore CityÆs YouthWorks program.

Twenty YouthWorks participants currently employed by MICA this summer were present during their announcement, officials say.

YouthWorks, which is directed by the Baltimore City MayorÆs Office of Employment Development, places young people between the ages of 14 and 21 in six-week summer jobs with private sector, nonprofit, and city and state government employers throughout the city, where they develop familiarity with the workplace, become better prepared to meet employersÆ expectations, and gain exposure to career opportunities in the Baltimore metropolitan areaÆs high growth industries.

In its first year participating as a YouthWorks host site, MICA serves as a model of an engaged YouthWorks partner. The school directly hired 10 students through Hire One Youth, and is serving as a YouthWorks worksite for an additional 10.

According to state officials, MarylandÆs includes $1.4 million to create more than 1,100 jobs. Baltimore is investing $1.5 million for 1,200 jobs. The Maryland State Department of Human Resources and the Baltimore City Department of Social Services provide an annual $1 million grant to the program to create more than 900 jobs.

Officials say Baltimore City's private sector also contributes significantly to the YouthWorks program, paying wages for close to 2,000 young people.